The most healthy way is natural. Just toss your brush or comb and let them section themselves. When they section on their own, all you have to do is separate them so they don't congo together. Don't be shy about washing, either. Wash 2-3 times a week with a dreadlock friendly soap.

Natural is also the most rewarding. But... some people aren't ready to just let their hair go wild like that/ So there are a few options for starter methods:

TnR. Twist and Rip is the most gentle of the starter methods. There are tons of videos on youtube as well as here on how to do this. It's easier than it sounds. You just take a section of hair that you want to be a lock, and split into 2 uneven parts. Twist them around each other once nd then pull the sections away from eachother so it tightens towards your scalp. Then twist them again and pull them apart. Don't use the same 2 sections all the time. I'd say every time you pull them apart, make 2 new sections. They should never do the same size as eachother or you'll end up with a kind of braided look. They'll be a bit frizzy and see thinner than you want the lock to be, but they will thicken up over time, and eventually the lock will be roughly the size of the section of hair. So don't use too much hair in each section. 1 inch sections are the biggest most people want to go. That'll leave you with quarter sized locks. Dime sized to nickle sized sections are average.

Back combing is another acceptable method. This involves making your section and literally combing the hair backwards to make knots. While this is an ok method, it does tend to rip more hairs out of your scalp and hurt more to do.

Both methods are good. But will take hours to do your whole head. And I mean, upwards of 24 hours to complete.

When you finish you will have what look like locks for about a few days, or until you wash them. After you wash, they will come undone either partially, or completely. When this happens, don't freak out. And DON'T try to put them back in. every time you redo them, you are setting your progress back to day one. Neither method creates locks. They just give your hair and scalp a bluprint of where the locks will form. When they come untangled, they will eventually reknot themselves. Let this happen on it's own.

If You still have any questions. Don't hesitate to ask, but there is also the dreaducation link at the top of the page that goes into even more detail of do's and don'ts. The biggest don'ts are wax and crocheting.